1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmitter, a receiver, a transmitter-receiver, a transmitting method, a receiving method and a transmitting/receiving method, and more particularly, is suitably applied to a transmitter, a receiver, a transmitter-receiver, a transmitting method, a receiving method and a transmitting/receiving method that transmit/receive moving image data of a plurality of channels via prescribed transmission lines.
2. Description of the Related Art
As such a transmitter-receiver, for instance, there is one that has a configuration as shown in FIG. 1.
A transmitter-receiver 1 configured like that performs prescribed encoding processing and multiplex processing or the like on moving image signals S1 to S4 and D5 to D8 in analog waveform or in digital waveform, for a plurality of channels, that are supplied from an external device, in the encoding part 4 of a transmitter 2, and transmits obtained multiplexed data D17 to the receiving part 6 of a receiver 3 via a transmitting part 5.
The receiving part 6 outputs the multiplexed data D17 to be given to a decoding part 7. In the decoding part 7, prescribed separating and decoding processing or the like are performed on the multiplexed data D17. And obtained moving image reproducing signals S5 to S8 or moving image reproducing data D18 to D21 for a plurality of channels are outputted to an external device. ;
Here, in the encoding part 4 of transmitter 2, as shown in FIG. 2, first to fourth moving image data D1 to D4 that are obtained by performing digital conversion on the first to fourth moving image signals S1 to S4 in analog waveform, to be given from the external device to first to fourth analog input terminals 8A to 8D in first to fourth A/D converters 9A to 9D, and/or fifth to eighth moving image data D5 to D8 to be given from the external device to first to fourth digital input terminals 8E to 8H, are supplied to corresponding first to fourth selecting parts 10A to 10D.
The first to fourth selecting parts 10A to 10D select one out of the respectively supplied first to eighth moving image data D1 to D8, and they each transmit the selected ones to corresponding first to fourth encoders 11A to 11D, as first to fourth selected moving image data D9 to D12.
The first to fourth encoders 11A to 11D respectively perform prescribed encoding processing on the first to fourth moving image data that respectively form the first to fourth selected moving image data D9 to D12 to be supplied. Then, the encoders 11A to 11D convert obtained first to fourth coded moving image data into transport stream (TS) packets according to the format defined by a moving picture experts group phase 2 (MPEG2) standard, and sequentially transmit first to fourth TS packet stream data D13 to D16 that are obtained by sequentially and respectively TS-packetizing the first to fourth coded moving image data to a multiplexer 12.
The multiplexer 12 multiplexes the first to fourth TS packet stream data D13 to D16 to be supplied, and transmits obtained multiplex data D17 via the transmitting part 5 to the receiving part 6 of the receiver 3.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the decoding part 7 of the receiver 3 receives the multiplex data D17 supplied from the receiving part 6 with a separating part 13. In the separating part 13, the first to fourth TS packet stream data D13 to D16 that are obtained by performing prescribed separating processing on the multiplex data D17 are transmitted to corresponding first to fourth decoders 14A to 14D.
The first to fourth decoders 14A to 14D separate the supplied first to fourth TS packet stream data D13 to D16, according to the format defined by the MPEG2 standard, and respectively perform prescribed decoding processing on first to fourth coded moving image data obtained by sequentially separating the first to fourth TS packet stream data D13 to D16.
Then, the first to fourth decoders 14A to 14D supply thus obtained first to fourth moving image reproducing data D18 to D21 that form the first to fourth moving image data composed of different moving images to respectively corresponding first to fourth D/A converters 15A to 15D to perform analog conversion, and the resultants are output to the external device as first to fourth moving image reproducing signals S5 to S8 in analog waveform via corresponding first to fourth analog output terminals 16A to 16D. Or the decoders 14A to 14D output to the external device the first to fourth moving image reproducing data D18 to D21 as they are via corresponding first to fourth digital output terminals 16E to 16H.
However, in the above transmitter-receiver 1, in the transmitter 2, the encoders 11A to 11D for the number of input channels must be provided in the encoding part 4 to perform prescribed encoding processing, and also the multiplexer 12 must be provided to further multiplex the first to fourth TS packet stream data D13 to D16 obtained in the encoders 11A to 11D. This causes a problem that the size of the circuit of the encoding part 4 of the transmitter 2 is enlarged and complicated.
Also in the receiver 3, the separating part 13 is necessary for the decoding part 7 to separate the multiplex data D17, and also the decoders 14A to 14D for the number of output channels must be provided to further separate the first to fourth TS packet stream data D13 to D16 which are obtained in the separating part 13 and to perform prescribed decoding processing on them. This causes a problem that the size of circuit of the decoding part 7 in the receiver 3 is enlarged and complicated.
Above points pose a problem that the size of the circuit of the whole transmitter-receiver 1 composed of these transmitter 2 and receiver 3 is enlarged and complicated.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a transmitter, a receiver, a transmitter-receiver, a transmitting method, a receiving method and a transmitting/receiving method that remarkably reduces and simplifies the circuit scale.
The foregoing object and other objects of the invention have been achieved by the provision of a transmitter which comprises: a resolution conversion processing means for performing prescribed resolution conversion processing on plural first image data to be supplied to reduce the image size in the vertical direction and/or horizontal direction respectively; a synthesized image generating means for generating second image data that is composed of image data for one frame, based on each of the first image data subjected to the resolution conversion processing; an encoding means for performing prescribed encoding processing on the second image data; and a transmitting means for transmitting the second image data subjected to the encoding processing.
Therefore, in this transmitter, only one circuit can cover the whole encoding processing.
Further the present invention provides a receiver which comprises: a receiving means for receiving first image data to be transmitted from a transmitter; a decoding means for performing prescribed decoding processing on the first image data; an image data separating means for separating the first image data subjected to the decoding processing into plural second image data; and a resolution conversion processing means for performing prescribed resolution conversion processing on each of the second image data to magnify the image size in the vertical direction and/or horizontal direction respectively.
Therefore, in this receiver, only one circuit can cover the whole decoding processing.
Furthermore the present invention provides a transmitter-receiver which comprises: a resolution conversion processing means for performing prescribed resolution conversion processing on plural first image data to be supplied, to reduce the image size in the vertical direction and/or horizontal direction respectively; a synthesized image generating means for generating second image data that is composed of image data for one frame, based on each of the first image data subjected to the resolution conversion processing; an encoding means for performing prescribed encoding processing on the second image data; a transmitting means for transmitting the second image data subjected on the encoding processing; a receiving means for receiving the second image data to be transmitted from a transmitter; a decoding means for performing prescribed decoding processing on the second image data; an image data separating means for separating the second image data subjected to the decoding processing into plural third image data; and a resolution conversion processing means for performing prescribed resolution conversion processing on each of the third image data to magnify the image size in the vertical direction and/or horizontal direction respectively.
Therefore, in this transmitter-receiver, only one circuit can cover the encoding processing in the transmitter and the decoding processing in the receiver altogether.
Furthermore the present invention provides a transmitting method which comprises: a first step of performing prescribed resolution conversion processing on plural first image data to be supplied, to reduce the image size in the vertical direction and/or horizontal direction respectively; a second step of generating second image data that is composed of image data for one frame based on each of the first image data subjected to the resolution conversion processing; a third step of performing prescribed encoding processing on the second image data; and a fourth step of transmitting the second image data subjected to the encoding processing.
Therefore, only one circuit can cover the whole encoding processing.
Furthermore the present invention provides a receiving method which comprises: a first step of receiving first image data to be transmitted from a transmitter; a second step of performing prescribed decoding processing on the first image data; a third step of separating the first image data subjected to the decoding processing into plural second image data; and a fourth step of performing prescribed resolution conversion processing on each of the second image data, to magnify the image size in the vertical direction and/or horizontal direction respectively.
Therefore, in this receiving method, only one circuit can cover the whole decoding processing.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a transmitting/receiving method which comprises: a first step of performing prescribed resolution conversion processing on plural first image data to be supplied to reduce the image size in the vertical direction and/or horizontal direction respectively; a second step of generating second image data that is composed of image data for one frame, based on each of the first image data subjected to the resolution conversion processing; a third step of performing prescribed encoding processing on the second image data; a fourth step of transmitting the second image data subjected to the encoding processing; a fifth step of receiving the second image data to be transmitted from a transmitter; a sixth step of performing prescribed decoding processing on the second image data; a seventh step of separating the second image data subjected to the decoding processing into plural third image data; and an eighth step of performing prescribed resolution conversion processing on each of the third image data to magnify the image size in the vertical direction and/or horizontal direction respectively.
Therefore, in this transmitting/receiving method, only one circuit can cover the encoding processing in the transmitter and the decoding processing in the receiver.
The nature, principle and utility of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like If parts are designated by like reference numerals or characters.